When the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) approached Phillip Boshoff, Sika’s Area Sales Manager, for possible sponsorship towards its new state-of-the-art seabird hospital in Table View, Cape Town, he gladly donated some crucial waterproofing joint sealing products while providing other products at highly reduced prices.
Operating in Table View for 33 years and having treated nearly 100 000 seabirds, SANCCOB (Western Cape) was in desperate need of more modern facilities. Over the years, it has become synonymous with conservation of the endangered African penguin and is a leader in seabird rehabilitation, chick-rearing, veterinary care, as well as contributing to ground-breaking research.
The much-anticipated new seabird hospital, scheduled for completion in December 2017, will go a long way in increasing the organization’s capacity to save more birds, to improve the standard of care and to educate more people about seabird conservation.
To seal wall-floor joints in the three newly constructed exercise pools, Sika fully sponsored SikaSwell-P Profiles, easy to apply profiles that swell in contact with water. With a protective coating to avoid premature swelling, SikaSwell-P Profiles is highly versatile, suitable for application on various substrates and adaptable to fit many different detailing tasks. Meeting international standards for water tightness, resistance to ageing and hydrophilic sealing, SikaSwell-P profiles requires no hardening time or welding.
As a water resisting and crystalline waterproofing concrete admixture, Sika WT-200 was supplied at a highly reduced price and added to the concrete mix at AfriSam, the site of manufacture. Active components in Sika WT series permanently seal concrete while also enhancing the self-healing properties of concrete.
After receiving a request to coat some high traffic areas in the hospital as well as the new three-part wash bays where oiled seabirds will be decontaminated, Sika obliged by supplying Sikafloor-20N PurCem, a multi-component, solvent-free, high build, polyurethane-modified cement and aggregate coating.
With excellent chemical resistance and very good resistance to abrasion and mechanical damage, Sikafloor-31N PurCem is a coloured, matt finish, aesthetically pleasing coating suitable for use in food processing plants and in wet or dry process areas. Economical and easy to apply, Sikafloor-31N PurCem can withstand severe cleaning regimes while its bio-static surface helps prevent the growth and development of bacteria or fungi.
For other areas in the hospital including the surgery, Sikafloor-263 SL, a two-part, multi-purpose binder based on epoxy resin, was supplied. As a self-smoothing and broadcast system for concrete and cement screed areas with normal to medium-heavy wear, Sikafloor-263 SL is highly fillable and liquid-proof with good chemical and mechanical resistance. The product meets numerous international standards.Both flooring products were supplied at discounted rates which has resulted in a great cost saving for SANCCOB.
To ensure correct applications of Sikafloor-31 N PurCem and Sikafloor-263 SL, Sika involved a specialist contractor who agreed to charge cost price for labour. There is also a possibility that Sikafloor Garage, a two-part, water-dispersed, coloured epoxy resin based coating with multiple approvals for low emissions, will be specified for the hospital walls.
From its humble beginnings almost fifty years ago, SANCCOB has evolved into an organization that responds to every oil spill along the entire southern African coastline. SANCCOB Table View is one of three centres that treat approximately 2 500 oiled, ill, injured or abandoned seabirds per annum, more than half of which are African penguins. By partnering with the Department of Environmental Affairs, SANParks, Cape Nature and Robben Island Museum, SANCCOB is able to maximize its conservation of precious seabirds.
Sika was delighted to be given the opportunity to support this devoted organization whose state-of-the-art seabird hospital, the largest development in the history of SANCCOB, will certainly fulfil a dream.
Approximately two thirds of the total building costs have been secured to date, however, SANCCOB still requires R3 million to complete the new, state-of-the-art seabird hospital. Members of the public can contribute financially to SANCCOB’s ‘donate a brick campaign’ by donating a brick or more at just R50 ($4/€4/£3) each, by visiting https://sanccob.co.za/donate-brick.php and choosing from the various donation platforms available.
US donors can receive a tax-deduction by donation through the American Fund for Charities, a registered 501(c)3, by visiting https://www.americanfund.info/donate/ and selecting ‘SANCCOB’ from the charity’s drop-down list.
Sika AG Corporate Profile
Sika AG, is a globally active specialty chemicals company with its South African Head Office based in Durban, and branches in all major SA cities.
Sika AG, located in Baar, Switzerland, supplies the building and construction industry as well as manufacturing industries (automotive, bus, truck, rail, solar and wind power plants, facades). Sika is a leader in processing materials used in sealing, bonding, damping, reinforcing and protecting load-bearing structures.
Sika’s product lines feature high-quality concrete admixtures, specialty mortars, sealants and adhesives, damping and reinforcing materials, structural strengthening systems, industrial flooring as well as roofing and waterproofing systems. Sika has subsidiaries in 93 countries around the world and manufactures in over 170 factories, with some 17 281 employees link customers directly to Sika and guarantee the success of all partners. Sika generated annual sales of CHF 5.49 billion in 2015.
